Tiny Trump-Linked Firm Poised for $25B Nuclear Deal

Entra1 Energy, with close ties to Trump donors, is in line for a massive nuclear contract despite having no completed projects.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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A newly created energy company with deep ties to Trump donors, Entra1 Energy, is reportedly in the running for a $25 billion nuclear contract in Japan. The firm, which employs fewer than five people and appears to operate from a WeWork co-working space, has yet to bring a single nuclear project to completion. However, it was shortlisted last October in partnership with NuScale, a publicly traded nuclear company, to build new energy infrastructure using a slice of the $550 billion Japan pledged to the Trump administration.

Why it matters

This case raises questions about the influence of political connections in the awarding of lucrative government contracts, especially in the sensitive nuclear energy sector. Entra1's lack of experience and track record has raised concerns from industry analysts about the company's ability to execute such a massive project.

The details

Entra1 Energy, founded in 2021 by Wadie Habboush, has close ties to Trump donors. Habboush's father, R.W. Habboush, donated more than $2 million to Trump and Republican causes since 2017. One of Entra1's outside advisers is Tommy Hicks Jr., who led the Republican National Committee as its co-chair from 2019 to 2023 and is a close friend of Donald Trump Jr. Despite its thin profile, Entra1 has already secured a lucrative foothold, with a $495 million payment from NuScale under a partnership agreement.

  • In September, the Tennessee Valley Authority entered into a non-binding agreement with Entra1 and NuScale to produce up to 6 gigawatts of electricity.
  • In October, Wadie Habboush traveled to Tokyo to pose for photos with Trump while brandishing a memorandum of understanding making his company eligible for billions of dollars in 'large scale baseload power infrastructure' funding.

The players

Entra1 Energy

A newly created energy company with deep ties to Trump donors that is in the running for a $25 billion nuclear contract in Japan.

Wadie Habboush

The CEO of Entra1 Energy, who founded the company in 2021 after working at his family's global investment firm, The Habboush Group.

R.W. Habboush

The father of Wadie Habboush, who donated more than $2 million to Trump and Republican causes since 2017.

Tommy Hicks Jr.

An outside adviser to Entra1 Energy who led the Republican National Committee as its co-chair from 2019 to 2023 and is a close friend of Donald Trump Jr.

NuScale

A publicly traded nuclear company with a market value exceeding $4 billion, which is partnering with Entra1 Energy on the potential $25 billion nuclear contract.

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What they’re saying

“In reality, it really just looks like it's a couple of guys.”

— Joe Osha, Wall Street analyst, Guggenheim Securities (Politico)

“Nuclear projects are obviously large, multibillion-dollar, multiyear projects, extremely hard to execute. Generally, we see what projects they've worked on, which is missing, and that's the genesis of the questions.”

— Vikram Bagri, Citi investment analyst (Politico)

What’s next

The White House official told Politico that no funds have been officially allocated, calling the Tokyo MOU a 'first step of interest,' and noted that any project must clear a joint U.S.-Japan consultation committee before receiving final approval from Trump.

The takeaway

This case highlights the potential for political connections to influence the awarding of lucrative government contracts, even in sensitive sectors like nuclear energy, and raises concerns about the ability of inexperienced firms to execute complex, high-stakes projects.